Mac upgradehttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/193/all
enFire Your Mac Up! 9 Essential Mac Upgrades (Plus More Power Tips)http://www.maclife.com/article/fire_your_mac_9_essential_mac_upgrades_plus_more_power_tips
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<p><strong>There's plenty of latent power lurking inside your older Mac - light it up!</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite a shipping delay until October, Mac OS 10.5 - aka Leopard - will be here before you know it. Is your Mac ready? If you've got an older model, say a Power Mac G4 or a G4 iMac, you might not think so. But rather than invest in a brand-new Mac just to take advantage of Leopard's new features - like Time Machine file restoration and customizable Spaces user environments - consider upgrading your existing machine. Upgrades will be a lot cheaper than a new system, even with the $100-plus cost of stepping up to Leopard.</p>
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<p>We don't yet know Leopard's official requirements, but history can guide us. Mac OS 10.4 (aka Tiger), for example, can run on even a low-end G3. Our educated guess is that you'll get the most out of Leopard with no less than a G4/800 stocked with plenty of RAM. And Apple's newest cat will purr a lot louder if you've got modern connections like USB 2.0, FireWire 800, and SATA (Serial ATA, a current internal hard-drive interface), not to mention a bigger hard drive, a double-layer DVD burner, and additional memory. In a few cases, you might even be able to upgrade your Mac's processor.</p>
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<p>We'll show you how and what to upgrade on your older Mac. When we say &quot;older,&quot; we mean it: as &quot;ancient&quot; as the first G4 tower (which came out in 1999) or PowerBooks, iBooks, and iMacs that started shipping in late 2002.</p>
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<p><strong>&gt;&gt;&gt; BEFORE YOU UPGRADE...</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Before you make any plans to upgrade your Mac, you need to get to know your machine. Apple may not be creative in its Mac product names - there were about nine different Sawtooth Power Mac G4 systems, for example - but a veritable lexicon of code names and identifiers can isolate a specific machine. From the Apple menu, choose About This Mac to be reminded of your Mac's processor type and speed. Click More Info for specific specs about a system. Visit www.everymac.com for other information that isn't included in the system profile - like how many hard drive bays your system has, upgrade options, and its unique code name. In addition, the freeware app Mactracker (mactracker.dreamhosters.com) has key specs on every Mac ever made.</p>
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<p><strong>MAC TOWERS </strong><br />With their vertical form factor and easily opened door panels, Apple's desktop machines are the most upgradeable Macs. Intel and G5 Macs from the past few years may not need any of the connection upgrades, but they can always benefit from a RAM, video card, or storage boost. Processor upgrade options are narrow, with slower G4s seeing the most improvement.</p>
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<p><strong>Upgradeability: High</strong><br /><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/plus.jpg" width="13" height="13" /> PCI slots. AGP slot depending on machine. Several RAM slots. Room for extra hard drives.<br /><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/minus.jpg" width="13" height="13" /> Processor upgrade not possible or of limited value for most machines.</p>
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<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-G5table.jpg" width="450" height="276" /></p>
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<p><em><strong>More...</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>iMACS</strong><br />To consider upgrading to Leopard, we recommend a G4 iMac or better with as much memory as you can possibly add. Beyond adding RAM, however, iMacs are difficult to upgrade. The video card and connections (such as USB and FireWire) are all off-limits. If you have a more recent Intel Core Duo iMac, you may be able to swap in a Core 2 Duo chip (see &quot;Give Your iMac a Brain Transplant&quot;), but we don't recommend trying this unless you're really brave or the machine's warranty has expired.</p>
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<p><strong>Upgradeability: Low</strong><br /><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/plus.jpg" width="13" height="13" /> Built-in slot for AirPort card. Accessible RAM slot.<br /><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/minus.jpg" width="13" height="13" /> Hard drive and optical drive upgrades difficult. Stuck with built-in connections. Processor upgrade is a near-superhuman feat.</p>
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<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-imactable.jpg" width="380" height="155" /></p>
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<p><strong>POWERBOOKS</strong><br />PowerBooks offer a few more upgrade options than iMacs. A built-in CardBus slot makes it possible to graft new connections - like FireWire 800 or eSATA (external Serial ATA) - onto an older Mac. Depending on your PowerBook's model, it may be possible to upgrade the hard drive by accessing the drive behind a door in the case (check your machine's manual to know for sure). PowerBooks sometimes have more RAM slots than iMacs or iBooks, so while processor upgrades are uncommon (and offer little benefit), at least you can juice the memory.</p>
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<p><strong>Upgradeability: Medium</strong><br /><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/plus.jpg" width="13" height="13" /> Built-in slot for AirPort card. Accessible RAM slot(s). CardBus upgrade slot. Hard drives sometimes easy to access. Keyboard fairly easy to remove and replace.<br /><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/minus.jpg" width="13" height="13" /> Built-in graphics chip can't be upgraded. Processor upgrade impossible or of little value.</p>
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<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-pbtable.jpg" width="450" height="234" /></p>
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<p><em><strong>More...</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>iBOOKS</strong><br />We've always liked the iBook's sturdy, plastic construction, perhaps even more than that of the dent-prone PowerBook. But while its case leads to longevity, the iBook is the least upgradeable older Mac around. If you plan to install Leopard on an iBook, max out the RAM to help compensate for the processor and graphics chip. (Adding RAM won't directly affect the video performance, but we can tolerate slower video if the rest of the system gets a performance boost.) Hard drive upgrades can be done, but they're a lot of work on certain iBooks. (If your manual mentions a hard drive upgrade at all, you've got an easy-access machine.) Otherwise, the AirPort card slot is the only simple upgrade option.</p>
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<p><strong>Upgradeability: Medium</strong><br /><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/plus.jpg" width="13" height="13" /> Built-in slot for AirPort card. Accessible RAM slot. Keyboard fairly easy to remove and replace.<br /><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/minus.jpg" width="13" height="13" /> Neither graphics chip nor processor can be upgraded. Most hard-drive upgrades difficult; third parties will install the upgrade. Built-in connections are all you get.</p>
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<p><strong>BONUS TIP: Watch Those Fingers!</strong><br />Computer parts are fragile - oil from your skin or mild static can damage them. Carefully handle PCI cards, RAM, and processors by their edges. Don't touch the contacts or their faces. When installing parts, it's a good idea to wear an antistatic wrist-strap with one end clipped to a grounded metal piece of the computer. If you don't have a wristband, touch a grounded metal part of your Mac (such as the power supply) to discharge any static electricity before handling sensitive parts. And before diving inside, shut down and give your Mac at least 10 minutes to cool down, especially before a processor or RAM upgrade.</p>
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<p><strong>VIDEO CARD: Suddenly You Can See</strong></p>
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<p>A video card churns out a system's graphics and connects directly to your display(s). Power Macs and Mac Pros let you swap the card out for a performance boost. Leopard and earlier versions of Mac OS X take advantage of video cards (and the video chips in closed systems) to speed up mundane tasks like window movement and scrolling (via OS X's Quartz). This video technology also draws the glossy Mac interface tricks. Tiger currently requires 16MB of VRAM (video RAM), but Leopard may need more. Gamers and media makers will see a night-and-day impact from a new card because their games and media-production apps rely most on video hardware. But anyone can benefit from an upgrade.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you plan to upgrade your display or if you want to add an additional monitor, the video card is also a significant factor. Every video card has a maximum screen resolution and refresh rate, so if you still have a stock card from five years ago, it may not push enough pixels to run a high-resolution Apple Cinema Display. Modern video cards include DVI ports that, along with VGA adapters, can connect to nearly any monitor.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>TO INSTALL </strong>Choose a video card based on your specific Mac. An older Mac will likely need an AGP card, while a newer G5 or Intel machine will get a PCI Express card. Be sure to pick the right card for your machine, because AGP, PCI Express, PCI-X, and PCI are not interchangeable. When you go to install the video card, push it firmly and evenly into its slot. Many Macs, like the current Mac Pros, include a latch adjacent to the video-card slot that needs to be opened to remove the current card, so watch for those on your machine. And keep track of those pesky screws, especially on older Macs - you'll need to reuse the installed screw to attach a new card.</p>
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<p><strong>&gt; WHO'S IT FOR? </strong>Gamers, iPhoto fiends, iMovie masters, and everyone else<br /><strong>&gt; PRIORITY: </strong>Medium<br /><strong>&gt; OPTIONS: </strong><a href="http://shop.ati.com/product.asp?sku=3170810" target="_blank">ATI Radeon X800 XT Mac Edition AGP</a> ($299), <a href="http://shop.ati.com/product.asp?sku=3206129">ATI Radeon X1900 G5 Mac Edition</a> ($349)<br /><strong>&gt; SUPPORTED MACS: </strong>Towers</p>
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<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-videocard.jpg" width="450" height="309" /></p>
<p><strong>Gamers and graphics junkies could benefit from a video card upgrade.</strong></p>
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<p><em><strong>More...</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>PROCESSOR: If It Only Had a Brain</strong></p>
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<p>The processor makes everything you do on your Mac possible, from loading text documents to running an iMovie effect. Because the processor's performance affects every aspect of a Mac, we're always in favor of an upgrade - although, sadly, you don't have a lot of options. No one currently makes processor upgrades for G5 or Intel Macs. Instead, a range of G4 upgrades exist for Macs that originally shipped with that chip. If you can make a big jump in speed - say, from 400MHz to 1.8GHz - consider the upgrade for your G4.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>What's more, we don't know whether processor upgrades will conflict with Leopard. We suspect there may be a few initial hiccups. Every processor maker we contacted anticipates that, as with Mac OS 10.4, Apple won't officially support processor upgrades, but that a machine with an upgraded processor should be able to run Leopard. And when necessary, vendors should offer fixes.</p>
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<p><strong>TO INSTALL </strong>You'll need to remove the heat sink - and possibly also a fan - that cools the original chip. These are usually held in place with a metal latch. Once exposed, most processors pop out of their sockets after you've lifted a release lever. Gently set the new processor into position and reset the lever to secure it in place. The processor upgrade may include its own heat sink. Depending on the instructions provided, attach the new heat sink or reconnect the old one.</p>
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<p><strong>&gt; WHO'S IT FOR? </strong>G4 owners with a speed boost potential<br /><strong>&gt; PRIORITY: </strong>Medium<br /><strong>&gt; OPTIONS: </strong><a href="http://www.sonnettech.com/product/encore_stg4.html" target="_blank">Sonnet Encore ST/G4</a> ($169.95 to $599.95), <a href="http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/accelerators/OWC-Mercury-Extreme/" target="_blank">OWC Mercury Extreme</a> ($199 to $259.99), <a href="http://www.newertech.com/products/processor.php" target="_blank">NewerTech MAXPower</a> ($249 to $699)<br /><strong>&gt; SUPPORTED MACS: </strong>Towers</p>
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<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-processor.jpg" width="389" height="296" /></p>
<p><strong>If you can get a speed boost from a processor upgrade, go for it.</strong></p>
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<p><em><strong>More...</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>RAM: Multitasking Made Easier</strong></p>
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<p>Random access memory juggles nearly every computer process. Want to have lots of windows and applications open? Add RAM. Want to get the best performance out of RAM-hungry games and audio, photo, and video apps? Add even more. RAM behaves like extra arms on a champion hot-dog eater, holding wieners at the ready so he doesn't have to slow down to reach for one at a time.</p>
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<p>A hard drive works as a buffer for the processor. &quot;Virtual memory&quot; does the same thing, using part of the hard drive in the same way that your Mac uses RAM - but it's significantly slower than actual RAM. Instead, the processor shuffles information back and forth to RAM with minimal delays, speeding up certain applications.</p>
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<p>It's best to have least 1GB of RAM - and, ideally, a total of 2GB or more. Older Macs and notebooks are no doubt limited in the number of slots available, but you should jump up to 1GB whenever possible. Visit <a href="http://www.ramseeker.com/" target="_blank">Ramseeker</a> or <a href="http://dealnews.com/memory/" target="_blank">dealram</a> to compare prices. Top Mac memory vendors include <a href="http://www.otherworldcomputing.com/" target="_blank">Other World Computing</a> and <a href="http://www.crucial.com/" target="_blank">Crucial Technology</a>.</p>
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<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>TO INSTALL </strong>If you're adding RAM to a Mac tower, look for an open RAM slot parallel with the current RAM, and literally plug the new RAM module right in. Apply even, firm pressure over its top edge, and it will lock into place, lifting the two latches into place. To remove RAM, gently push apart the release latches (both at the same time) to unseat the chip. Some Macs - mostly the newest ones - require you to add RAM in like-sized multiples of two; check your manual to verify your system's needs. In notebooks and certain iMacs, the RAM slot sits at a slight angle to the rest of the computer, instead of a 90-degree angle the way RAM sits on a tower-style Mac. In that case, insert the new RAM module into place at that angle, then tilt it flush against the machine. If you're removing RAM, first push the release levers to unseat the chip.</p>
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<p><strong>&gt; WHO'S IT FOR? </strong>Everyone<br /><strong>&gt; PRIORITY: </strong>High<br /><strong>&gt; OPTIONS: </strong>Prices and models vary. Check <a href="http://www.otherworldcomputing.com/" target="_blank">Other World Computing</a> and <a href="http://www.crucial.com/" target="_blank">Crucial Technology</a>.<br /><strong>&gt; SUPPORTED MACS: </strong>Towers, iMacs, iBooks, PowerBooks</p>
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<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-ram.jpg" width="450" height="255" /></p>
<p><strong>The more RAM the better.</strong></p>
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<p><em><strong>More...</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>OPTICAL DRIVES: That's 'Disc' with a 'c'</strong></p>
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<p>Today's optical drives rip through a CD quicker than the original optical drive that came with your Mac. But we're more interested in a new drive to take advantage of the latest burn formats: A double-layer DVD burner, for example, can archive longer movies or about 8GB of data on a single disc. Best of all, Leopard should support most drives - especially Pioneer options at www.otherworldcomputing.com because those feature some of the same parts as Apple's SuperDrives, and so they don't require extra software. (You could even opt for a Blu-ray burner for 50GB per disc, but those are still pricey at about $550.)</p>
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<p>As with hard drives, any Mac can accommodate an external optical drive via FireWire or USB, but internal drives are cheaper and keep your desk free of clutter. You may be able to replace the internal optical drive on an iMac or a notebook, but this upgrade scores a high degree of difficulty. (A company like TechRestore can switch out a burner in those machines, and Other World Computing has kits for some G4 PowerBooks that make this fairly easy, too.) </p>
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<p><strong>TO INSTALL </strong>Tower Macs allow easy access to all drives, making it a fairly simple operation to swap in the latest burner in several minutes. Follow the chart printed on each drive to position the new drive jumpers - the small, removable contacts - at the same configuration as the original. (You'll likely match the position for &quot;cable select&quot; printed in the chart.) Connect a free internal power cable, too. If your Mac can support two optical drives installed at once, consult the computer manual for the correct jumper settings - also likely cable select - and connect them both to the ribbon cable. Once both drives are installed, use the regular Eject key to open the first drive, and push Option-Eject to open the second.</p>
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<p><strong>&gt; WHO'S IT FOR? </strong>Backup barons, iDVD junkies<br /><strong>&gt; PRIORITY: </strong>Low<br /><strong>&gt; OPTIONS: </strong><a href="http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/product/details/0,,2076_310069751_302357629,00.html" target="_blank">Pioneer DVR-710</a> ($59.95)<br /><strong>&gt; SUPPORTED MACS: </strong>Towers</p>
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<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-optical.jpg" width="380" height="225" /></p>
<p><strong>Equip your Mac with an optical drive that hadn't even been invented when the Mac was made.</strong></p>
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<p><em><strong>More...</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>STORAGE: More Room to Roam</strong></p>
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<p>Like the universe, our iTunes libraries, movie folders, and photo collections are in a constant state of expansion. You should always leave at least 5GB of free space on a startup drive so that your Mac has ample room for virtual memory and caches. If you're going to break this rule, you need to add - or replace - hard drives. Hard drives operate at different speeds. If you use resource-hungry apps, you could boost performance by upgrading from a 4,200 or 5,400 rpm drive to a 7,200 rpm drive.</p>
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<p>Tower-style Macs are the most upgrade-friendly, but notebooks and iMacs can also take a new hard drive. Of course, you could always add an external drive - pick FireWire over USB for the fastest speeds - but we'll focus on internal options.</p>
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<p>On iBooks and PowerBooks, you'll always replace the drive instead of adding one. Notebooks take 2.5-inch ATA drives. (Some PowerBooks include a convenient door for easy drive access - check your manual - while others require the removal of dozens of screws and parts.) If your notebook doesn't offer easy drive access, a company like TechRestore (www.techrestore.com) can install a new drive for you.</p>
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<p>When upgrading a tower Mac's storage, be aware of its built-in limitations. The easiest way to connect an extra drive is to chain it to the original ATA drive. However, an old ATA bus may only let you access 137GB of the drive. (In general an ATA/100 computer won't have this limit, while an ATA/66 or slower will. Use the Apple System Profiler or visit <a href="http://www.everymac.com/" target="_blank">EveryMac.com</a> to get your system's specs.) If your Mac can't take a big ATA drive, first install a PCI upgrade card with an ATA/100 or newer interface. (When connecting the fat ribbon cable, be sure to position it flat against other surfaces so air can circulate properly.) Or jump to Serial ATA, the latest internal drive standard on the Mac Pro, and install that interface.</p>
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<p><strong>TO INSTALL </strong>Before you install a new hard drive in any type of Mac, back up all of your data on an external drive or optical discs. If you're sticking with conventional ATA on a tower Mac, check your user manual for precise details to make the connection. (If a notebook supports simple drive upgrades, that information will be in the manual, too.) ATA drives have small jumper pins that need to be set properly depending on how the drive is used. Most Macs use &quot;cable select&quot; mode - again, check your manual. In this case, set the jumper pins for cable select and connect the new drive. Use the original ribbon cable and attach a free power connector. The oldest ATA Macs, like most G4s and G3s, use a &quot;master/slave&quot; system. These require the jumpers on one drive to be set as &quot;master&quot; and the other drive as &quot;slave&quot;; both are connected to the same cable.</p>
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<p>Serial ATA (SATA) requires no jumpers and uses a different physical connector than ATA. If you're adding SATA storage, use the data cable that came with the drive and connect a free power cable to a SATA power adapter. Once the drives are connected, restart your Mac and format the drives with Disk Utility. (If you're replacing the startup drive, install OS X first.)</p>
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<p><strong>&gt; WHO'S IT FOR? </strong>Media users and everyone who wants more space<br /><strong>&gt; PRIORITY: </strong>Medium<br /><strong>&gt; OPTIONS: </strong><a href="http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=301" target="_blank">Western Digital Caviar SE16</a> ($86.99 to $199.99)<br /><strong>&gt; SUPPORTED MACS: </strong>Towers, PowerBooks, iBooks</p>
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<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-harddrive.jpg" width="450" height="582" /></p>
<p><strong>Yes, bigger <em>is</em> better.</strong></p>
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<p><strong><em>More...</em></strong></p>
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<p><strong>BUSSES: Make New Connections</strong></p>
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<p>Modern Macs since 2003 - the iBook G4, PowerBook G4, Power Mac G5, and iMac G4 - all feature USB 2.0 connections, but beginning at the same time with the PowerBook and Power Mac, only &quot;pro&quot; systems include FireWire 800. USB 2.0 is a crucial upgrade over the original USB because of its improved speed. You'll easily notice the difference when connecting iPods, USB 2.0 hard drives, and other peripherals.</p>
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<p>FireWire 800 boosts the speed of FireWire 400 (the original), but it's much less common than the original or USB 2.0. FireWire 800 is most often used for large hard drives, so you may not need to add this port. But if you need to add both, consider a card that combines USB 2.0 and FireWire 800 to save a slot - PCI, CardBus, or ExpressCard depending on the machine.</p>
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<p>Consider adding other connections (aka buses), like 1000Base-T Ethernet - aka Gigabit Ethernet, which has been standard on Power Macs since mid-2000 - for high-speed local networking, or eSATA for external SATA hard drives. These upgrades don't offer as wide a range of connectivity as USB 2.0, but if you work with huge files on your Mac or over a local network, they can boost your Mac's performance.</p>
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<p><strong>TO INSTALL </strong>On tower Macs, your process will differ slightly if your computer uses PCI, PCI-X, or PCI Express. Be sure to consult your manual or Mactracker to see which kind of upgrade card to use - these slots and cards are generally incompatible. Some Macs, mostly G5s and the Mac Pro, also have slots that operate at different speeds. Depending on the upgrade, you may see a marginal performance boost with the highest-speed slot; consult the manual for specifics. If you're installing a card into a new slot, remove the PCI slot cover and insert the card straight in, with the front and back ends even. Apply firm pressure, and the card will drop into place in a single movement.</p>
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<p>On PowerBooks, just slide the upgrade into the CardBus or ExpressCard slot. Be sure to get a CardBus card if you're upgrading an older Mac, because the ExpressCard slots in MacBook Pros use a different connection.</p>
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<p><strong>&gt; WHO'S IT FOR? </strong>Everyone who wants the latest connections<br /><strong>&gt; PRIORITY: </strong>Medium<br /><strong>&gt; OPTIONS: </strong><a href="http://www.sonnettech.com/product/allegro_usb2.html" target="_blank">Sonnet Allegro USB 2.0</a> ($29.95), <a href="http://store1.sonnettech.com/product_info.php?cPath=24_39&amp;products_id=105&amp;osCsid=0abd2765c371e66d14cc783e41dc5d71" target="_blank">Sonnet Tempo Serial ATA </a>($79.95), Belkin <a href="http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=148866" target="_blank">USB 2.0 Hi-Speed 3-Port PCI Card</a> ($39.99), <a href="http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=20852" target="_blank">Belkin USB BusPort Mobile</a> ($69.99)<br /><strong>&gt; SUPPORTED MACS: </strong>Towers, PowerBooks</p>
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<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-busses.jpg" width="380" height="269" /></p>
<p><strong>Adding USB 2.0 lets you step up to more modern peripherals.</strong></p>
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<p><em><strong>More...</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>WIRELESS: Ride the Airwaves</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The portable nature of notebooks makes Wi-Fi (the wireless networking standard used by AirPort) a must. Wi-Fi is a great way to get online when you're out and about. Some cities are even beginning to roll out low-cost - or free - Wi-Fi networks for all residents. But unless you live in such a city, a Wi-Fi upgrade has limited benefits for a desktop or iMac.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wi-Fi comes in a range of flavors. If you locate an AirPort card for a particular Mac - try eBay and Craigslist for older machines - you'll have either the original standard, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n (the fastest flavor of all the Wi-Fi standards). Apple was the first to roll out its latest wireless network hub, the AirPort Extreme, with 802.11n built in. N is still in draft stage, but its data rate is significantly faster than G, which is even faster than B. A third-party upgrade won't work in Apple's AirPort slot, but options exist for PCI, CardBus, and USB. For best compatibility, look for a standard 802.11g card, or you can throw caution to the wind and try an 802.11n option. <a href="http://www.quickertek.com" target="_blank">QuickerTek</a> even makes 802.11n upgrades that fit in the AirPort slot of certain Intel iMacs, MacBooks, and Mac Minis ($149 to $179).</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bluetooth 2.0 communicates wirelessly with handhelds, phones, and other devices faster than the original Bluetooth, and older Bluetooth devices still work with Bluetooth 2.0–capable machines. Few older Macs support internal Bluetooth upgrades. Instead, opt for a USB Bluetooth 2.0 adapter.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>TO INSTALL </strong>Wireless installation varies with each particular Mac. If you're installing a Wi-Fi card directly into a PCI slot, push it in firmly without rocking or angling it. CardBus and AirPort cards slide into their own slots, and many AirPort cards include an antenna connection.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>&gt; WHO'S IT FOR? </strong>Anyone who wants to cut cords and surf the Web from almost anywhere<br /><strong>&gt; PRIORITY: </strong>Low<br /><strong>&gt; OPTIONS: </strong><a href="http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=273109" target="_blank">Belkin Bluetooth USB Adapter</a> ($39.99), <a href="http://www.sonnettech.com/product/aria_pci.html" target="_blank">Sonnet Aria Extreme PCI</a> ($99.95)<br /><strong>&gt; SUPPORTED MACS: </strong>Towers, iMacs, iBooks, PowerBooks</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-wireless.jpg" width="450" height="229" /></p>
<p><strong>Add Bluetooth with this tiny nubbin.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em><strong>More...</strong></em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>INPUT DEVICES: Retire Your Old Keyboard and Mouse</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The keyboard and mouse that shipped with your Mac were great when they were new, but replacing them after a year or more will put more spring in your clicks. A notebook can certainly accommodate an external keyboard, but most 'Books allow you to swap out the built-in keyboard too. The hardest part of such an upgrade may be finding the right part. Check www.powerbookmedic.com or www.ifixit.com for a match at about $100.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>For tower Macs, we've always liked the old-school touch of a mechanical keyboard. Something about the clicking keys and tactile feedback feels more &quot;natural&quot; than a cheap, rubber-membrane replacement. Few stellar Mac choices exist, but the Matias Tactile Pro 2.0 ($149.95, www.matias.ca) is a good option with Mac-specific keys.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Also consider a wireless mouse. If your Mac supports Bluetooth, you can connect that kind of mouse without any extra parts. Otherwise, any RF mouse will include a receiver. We suggest a two-button mouse with a scrollwheel to navigate through Leopard's legion of new features.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>TO INSTALL </strong>If they're USB, just plug 'em in. If you're replacing a notebook keyboard, consult the manual to remove the original keyboard - this is usually an easy swap. To connect a Bluetooth device, consult System Preferences' Keyboard &amp; Mouse pane and click the Bluetooth tab.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>&gt; WHO'S IT FOR? </strong>Anyone with the original keyboard and mouse<br /><strong>&gt; PRIORITY: High<br />&gt; OPTIONS: </strong><a href="http://matias.ca/tactilepro2/index.php" target="_blank">Matias Tactile Pro 2.0 keyboard</a> ($149.95), L<a href="http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2162,CONTENTID=11420" target="_blank">ogitech Cordless Desktop S 530 Laser </a>($79), <a href="http://us.kensington.com/html/7195.html" target="_blank">Kensington PilotMouse Laser Wireless</a> ($39.99)<br /><strong>&gt; SUPPORTED MACS: </strong>Towers, iMacs, iBooks, PowerBooks</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-keyboard.jpg" width="450" height="241" /></p>
<p><strong>A wireless keyboard/mouse combo eliminates some of the spaghetti on your desk.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-firee-mouse.jpg" width="450" height="358" /></p>
<p><strong>Laser tracking on the PilotMouse Laser assures accurate pointing.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em><strong>More...</strong></em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>LCD MONITORS: Flat Is Phat</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pretty soon, the old-school images of a Mac setup with a CRT (cathode-ray tube) display will garner snickers—or possibly nostalgia. Either way, LCDs (liquid crystal displays) have taken over, and for good reason. They save tons of desktop space, maintain their image quality better over time, offer accurate screen geometry (there’s no curvature), have more mounting options, and are more energy efficient. You can also take this opportunity to switch from the standard 4:3 screen ratio to widescreen format, the preferred format for video. Apple’s <a href="http://www.apple.com/displays/" target="_blank">20-inch Cinema Display</a> is stunning, but it’s also a wallet-crashing $599. Here are a few examples of more affordable LCDs you can use to replace your hulking CRT.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>A low-cost way to enter the widescreen world is with the <a href="http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktopdisplays/lcddisplays/valueseries/va1703wb/index.htm" target="_blank">ViewSonic VA1703wb</a> ($195), a 17-inch display with a 1,440-by-900-pixel native resolution. There’s a catch with 17-inch widescreen displays in general: If you’ve been using a 17-inch standard display, you may actually feel as though you have less room on a 17-inch widescreen display. That’s because the 17 inches in a widescreen display are distributed more horizontally than vertically, so you might feel a bit penned in.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Having that vertical space is important for Web designers, people who do page layout, and audio and video editors who use applications that are loaded with control palettes. An affordable 19-inch widescreen display such as the <a href="http://www.soyousa.com/products/select.php?id=9" target="_blank">Soyo DYLM1986</a> ($199) will give back a bit of that vertical space, but you’ll also have a nice wide screen for watching movies. </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the NEC <a href="/article/multisync_20wmgx2" target="_blank">MultiSync 20WMGX2</a>, you can kill two birds with one stone. It’s a 20-inch widescreen display that also has a built-in TV tuner, so when you’re done using your Mac, you can switch to TV mode and catch the latest episode of The Black Donnellys. In addition to the DVI and VGA connectors, the 20WMGX2 has S-Video, component, and composite video connectors for devices such as TiVos and DVD players.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Perhaps you’re clinging to your CRT because you do work where accurate color is critical, and you’ve spent considerable time and effort to manage color. The <a href="http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=10796" target="_blank">LaCie 19-inch 319</a> ($899.99) is pricey, but its color accuracy is well worth the expense for photographers and publishing pros. It also comes with LaCie’s blue eye pro calibration software and a display hood for blocking out glare.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>What to do with that old CRT? You can’t just toss it in the trash. CRTs contain lead, phosphorous, mercury, barium, and other environmentally harmful materials. In many states, you’ll have to pay to have your CRT disposed of. Check with your local waste management company to find out. If you want to donate your CRT, give the organization a call before you drop it on the doorstep on Saturday. Some groups may not accept CRTs or may charge a fee for taking it off your hands. - Roman Loyola</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-NEC.jpg" width="450" height="379" /></p>
<p><strong>The NEC 20WMGX2 lists for $799.99, but you can find it for about $550.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-soyo.jpg" width="450" height="355" /></p>
<p><strong>The Soyo DYLM1986 is cheap but pretty.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em><strong>More...</strong></em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>MEASURING THE DIFFERENCE: Performance Stats</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>We upgraded a 450MHz Power Mac G4 purchased in 1999 to get a sense of how much of a performance boost is possible. The original 450MHz configuration featured 128MB of RAM, an ATI Rage 128 video card, a 5X DVD-ROM drive, and an Ultra ATA/66 hard drive. We upgraded the machine with a 1.5GHz G4 processor, 1GB of RAM, an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro video card, a 16X DVD burner, and a SATA card with a hard drive.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Then we ran three tests of our own devising, in addition to the Xbench test suite (db.xbench.com), which measures all parts of a system's performance - the higher the score, the better. In our iTunes test, we imported a CD. In the folder duplication test, we copied a 1.8GB folder. In the Unreal Tournament 2004 test, we ran the Asbestos map fly-by at 640-by-480-pixel resolution on minimum settings and measured the framerate. Unsurprisingly, the new video card, processor, and RAM easily beat the original setup. In all but the folder duplication, our upgraded system blew the original's specs out of the water.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fire-performancetable.jpg" width="380" height="93" /> </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">- - - - -</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>BONUS TIP: A Smoother Leopard Installation</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>When it's time to install Leopard - or when you're installing any version of OS X - it's always wise to reformat the hard drive and start from scratch. Before you erase everything, save all of your files and apps to an external drive (or burn it all on optical discs).</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Locate an unused external drive that's bigger than the internal original for the simplest, best way to back up. Connect a drive, preferably one that uses FireWire, and download Carbon Copy Cloner (donationware, www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html). Launch the program and choose the internal drive as the Source Disk and the external drive as the Target Disk. Click the lock icon, type your password, and click Clone. The program will copy everything over to the external drive, duplicating the structure of the original. (Anything that had been on the external drive will be erased.) Verify that the external drive contains a backup, then unmount and unplug that drive.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Insert the Leopard installation disc and restart the machine. Choose the Erase And Install option to write over everything with a fresh Leopard installation. During the process, you'll be asked if you're migrating from an old system and, if so, to connect it via FireWire. At this point, connect the external drive and follow the directions to migrate everything - user information, System Preferences, and other data - back to your Mac. (If you skip this step, you can still get to the Migration Assistant in the /Applications/Utilities folder after the initial installation.)</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
http://www.maclife.com/article/fire_your_mac_9_essential_mac_upgrades_plus_more_power_tips#commentsMac upgradeHow-TosThu, 24 May 2007 21:50:58 +0000Zack Stern824 at http://www.maclife.comRevitalize, Restore, and Renew Your Machttp://www.maclife.com/article/revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-MacSpaOpener.jpg" width="380" height="243" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Even the fastest runners and most accomplished ballerinas don’t spend all their time running or dancing. The human body requires rest and rejuvenation—and so does your Mac. But just turning it off while you sleep isn’t enough. There are a variety of ways you can help your Mac regain its youthful vigor. But we know you’re busy. So rather than provide you with a list of tricky, expensive upgrades, we gathered a dozen-plus quick, refreshing ways to give your Mac a mini spa vacation. When you’re done, it’ll feel (almost) like new. Kind of like how you felt the last time you dusted off your yoga mat or got a massage.</p>
<p>Next: <a href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C1"><strong>SLIM DOWN YOUR FAT CAT OS</strong></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div style="text-align: center"><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-monolingual.jpg" width="380" height="478" /></div>
<p align="center"><strong>Be careful: Monolingual’s defaults will remove English language support.</strong></p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>SLIM DOWN YOUR FAT CAT OS</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Your bad kitty will run faster and smoother after it sheds a few gigabytes.</strong></p>
<p>A slimmer cat is a faster cat, and we’ll bet dimes to DIMMs that you can shed several gigabytes from your Mac’s hard drive without missing them. If you installed the default Mac OS 10.4, for example, you’ve got 1GB of foreign language translation support, 2.1GB of printer drivers, and 9.9GB of bundled software. Once you’ve removed the biggest offenders post facto by following the steps below, take an hour to browse your hard drive for such junk as sample or stock images in Photoshop and sample songs in GarageBand (they’re in /Users/username/Music/), and of course, scour your iTunes library for all the podcasts that you forgot you subscribed to and other unwanted audio debris. If you use iMovie or GarageBand, archive or otherwise offload old projects, which are often huge.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Applications</strong> Remove any expired demo software and any apps that you’re not likely to use—especially if you have the original installer discs. Games tend to fill loads of disk space, but only remove them as a last resort. Remember, all work and no play…</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Printer Drivers</strong> The /Library/Printers folder holds hundreds of drivers that you’ll never use, and two that you might use someday—which will come with the printer and are available free at the manufacturer’s website anyway.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Application Support</strong> iLife themes from iMovie and iDVD consume virtual acres, some of which you can surely do without. Browse the themes in each app, make note of the keepers, then proceed to /Library/Application Support/ for a weed-out session. While you’re in Application Support, remove any folders for apps that you’ve deleted, and feel free to browse the remaining folders for superfluous sample projects, tutorials, and the like. Also check /Users/username/Library/Application Support for redundant items that are already in the main Application Support folder, orphaned support files, and other dead weight.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Language Support </strong>Mac OS X’s localization support is unmatched—but how many foreign languages are you ever going to use? Strip it down to your native tongue with Monolingual (free, monolingual.sourceforge.net)—just read the included directions and make sure that you don’t remove your native language. English-speaking ’Mericans should keep both English and English (United States). And if you use Adobe CS apps, open Monolingual’s Preferences and add them to the blacklist of apps that you want Monolingual to leave alone—for reasons unknown, current versions of Photoshop et al won’t run without full language support.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Bad Music</strong> The folder /Library/Audio/Apple Loops For GarageBand contains over 1GB of loops for GarageBand projects; we punted just the stuff that gives us violent urges (Club Dance Beat and so on), thereby freeing up a couple hundred megabytes.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Shared Files</strong> If you maintain a multiuser Mac, keep track of what each user installs and where. If several users tinker in GarageBand, for example, in the name of congeniality and preventing duplicates they should install any additional loops for all users rather than only for their user account. And you know they won’t unless you tell them to. Same thing goes for any application or its add-ons.</p>
<p>Next: <a href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C2"><strong>PUT YOUR POWER WHERE YOU WANT IT</strong></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-processwiz.jpg" width="380" height="272" /></p>
<p align="left"><strong>With Process Wizard, you could give Chess higher priority than any other app. Not that you ever would. </strong></p>
<p align="left">&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>PUT YOUR POWER WHERE YOU WANT IT</strong></p>
<p><strong>Tweak processor priorities and RAM usage where available.</strong></p>
<p>Mac OS X is a masterfully multithreaded system with the ability to run and manage hundreds of tasks simultaneously, including tasks that you’ve initiated (a Final Cut Pro render, a Photoshop filter, a spell-check in Word—anything) as well as oodles of background daemons, endless Spotlight indexing, and other noise. It’s your Mac, so you get to decide which apps get processor priority and when—it’s known as niceness in the Unix world. Make iMovie nicer as it chews on your epic film while you write your acceptance speech in Word, or lash Photoshop to moorings of your specifications if that’s where you spend your day.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Process Wizard (free, www.lachoseinteractive.net) provides handy sliders for you to adjust the niceness of any process running on your Mac—or to kill a process outright, which can lead to mayhem, so proceed with caution. Process Wizard doesn’t show you how much juice any specific task is sucking up, so launch Activity Monitor (/Applications/Utilities), click the CPU tab for a live readout of what processes are consuming how much of your processor(s), and use that information to adjust processor priority.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Allocating RAM isn’t generally as easy, but many RAM-hogging apps, such as Photoshop, provide a preference setting that you can tweak to give it the lion’s share of your RAM.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Next: <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C3">MIND YOUR EMAIL MESS</a> and <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C3">TURN UP THE JUICE</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-mail_pref.jpg" width="380" height="365" /></p>
<p><strong>Deleting the attachment with the message works well—unless you’re a total email pack rat.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>MIND YOUR EMAIL MESS</strong></p>
<p>Your download preferences in email and Web-browsing apps can conspire to mire your hard drive in files that you received or downloaded on a lark only to never look at again. Specify designated folders for mail and Web downloads to keep the files from vanishing amid all of the important files in the bowels of your system.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>TURN UP THE JUICE</strong></p>
<p>Running Photoshop CS or CS2 on an Intel-powered Mac? Jack up Photoshop’s RAM allocation—but not too far, or you’ll choke off the RAM-hungry Rosetta translator and Photoshop will run much slower. Give Photoshop 75 percent of your RAM if you’ve got 2GB or more, and 50 percent if you’ve got 1GB or less. Find the setting in Photoshop &gt; Preferences &gt; RAM And Disk Usage.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Next: <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C4">MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE INSPECTOR</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-inspector.jpg" width="380" height="300" /></p>
<p><strong>Think of the Inspector as a contextual Get Info window.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE INSPECTOR</strong></p>
<p>You know about keyboard shortcuts, and the fact that you can program your own via the Keyboard &amp; Mouse pane in System Preferences. But there’s more. Hold Option while accessing the menubar, and some items will offer alternate functions. For example, the Finder’s File &gt; Get Info becomes File &gt; Show Inspector when you press Option. The Inspector can show info on multiple items simultaneously, and better yet, it updates as you click different files or folders in the Finder.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Next: <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C5">STREAMLINE YOUR SYSTEM</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-clixFrank1.jpg" width="380" height="251" /><br /><strong>1. Browse commands by Title, Description, or the full Command Line command.</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />2. Double-click a command in the list to open it in the Command Sheet.</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />3. To create your own .clix file, select File &gt; New and import your tweaked commands by dragging them in from theiroriginal command files.</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />4. Double-click a command file (anything with a .clix extension) in the Etc folder within the CLIX application folder to load a category of commands.</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />5. Editable fields let you file the command where you want and adjust the description.</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />6. Make any tweaks to the command here.</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />7. Click Run to execute the command.</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />8. If you tweak a command, you can save the changes (verify by clicking Run first, lest you save a mal-tweaked command).</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>STREAMLINE YOUR SYSTEM</strong></p>
<p><strong>These handy utilities help you keep your system running smoothly. Of course, “handy” is relative. Why not have a little fun with Unix while you’re at it?</strong></p>
<p>System-tweaking utilities like TinkerTool (free, <a href="http://www.bresink.com" target="_blank">www.bresink.com</a>) and OnyX (donationware, <a href="http://www.titanium.free.fr" target="_blank">www.titanium.free.fr</a>) put a friendly GUI on powerful Unix commands that you could fire off yourself if you knew them. But you’ll never learn anything that way. Try Rixstep’s CLIX (free, <a href="http://www.rixstep.com/clix">www.rixstep.com/clix</a>), short for Command Line Interface for Mac OS X. It’s just the right mix of power, ease of use, and helpful education.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>CLIX bridges the gap between regular folks and Unix’s manual files, which lack any syntax help for assembling a command. For example, FTP-ing a file from your Desktop to a server requires a specific arrangement of the file’s location, the server’s address, your login info, and the file’s destination.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Next: <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C6">CLICK LESS, GET MORE DONE</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;<br /><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-spamgif.jpg" width="380" height="310" /></p>
<p><strong>If you didn’t already know, that’s a GIF image, specifically created by some loser jerk to hoodwink your spam filter.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>CLICK LESS, GET MORE DONE</strong></p>
<p><strong>Supersize Your Spam Filter</strong> Apple’s Mail and other email apps have powerful spam filtering, but the junkmongers always seem to stay a few steps ahead. Give your spam filter some teeth by making a new rule in Mail (Mail &gt; Preferences &gt; Rules) to junk any email that comes in with a GIF image.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It’s always a good idea to peruse the Junk filter for mistakenly junked messages, but we bet you won’t find many GIFs in there worth redeeming. Before you get carried away, remember that spammers don’t use JPEGs as often as your mother does (no offense).</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Dock Your Desktop</strong> The Finder runs better when the Desktop is uncluttered. To have your download-dumping ground and a fast Finder too, create a folder at the root level of your hard drive (or anywhere) and drag it to your Dock. Set this new folder as the default download location in your Web browsers and email apps. If you want the folder to look like a faux desktop, click its Dock icon to open it, select View &gt; As Icons, then open View &gt; Show View Options, and adjust to your liking (to ditch the sidebar, slide its border all the way left). Just make sure to check the option for This Window Only. Now click and hold on the docked folder to view its contents alphabetically, nested folders included, as a pop-up menu.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Next: <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C7">EXORCIZE YOUR FONTS</a></p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fontbook_dupes.jpg" width="380" height="158" /></p>
<p><strong>We hardly need one copy of Wingdings, much less a gaggle.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>EXORCIZE YOUR FONTS</strong></p>
<p><strong>Font problems can kill a Mac’s performance-enhanced buzz. With its multiple font libraries, Mac OS X is ripe for trouble. Even if nothing seems wrong, take these proactive steps to keep your fonts in check.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Ditch Duplicates</strong> Open Font Book (/Applications) and select All Fonts, the top-most collection in the left-side pane. See all of the black dots to the right of entries in the Font pane? That means you’ve got multiple versions of marked fonts. To rectify this, select a font in the list (Command-click to select multiples, or go wholesale and choose Edit &gt; Select All or press Command-A). Now select Edit &gt; Resolve &gt; Duplicates. This turns off extra versions of the font on your system that may have been installed by other users or applications.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Next: <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C8">EXORCIZE YOUR FONTS (continued)</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-font_validation.jpg" width="380" height="389" /></p>
<p><strong>Errors and warnings can be hard to find in the master list; use the pull-down menu to find them.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>EXORCIZE YOUR FONTS (continued)</strong></p>
<p><strong>Validate Yourself </strong>Font Book can examine your fonts for potential problems, so why wait until your thesis comes out looking like Sanskrit? Select your main font library (All Fonts in the Collections list), choose Edit &gt; Select All, and select Edit &gt; Validate Fonts. (While you’re there, note the Validate Files option. If you’re paranoid, you can verify a font before installing it.) After you select Validate Fonts, any potentially problematic fonts will appear with a check mark, a yellow exclamation point, or a red X icon. Check the box for any font you want to remove and click Remove Checked.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Next: <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C9">EXORCIZE YOUR FONTS (continued)</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<p><strong><br /></strong></p>
<p><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-fontnuke.jpg" width="380" height="347" /></p>
<p><strong>What do you do with years of potential system-clogging gunk? Nuke it!</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>EXORCIZE YOUR FONTS (continued)</strong></p>
<p><strong>Don't Forget to Flush</strong> Font Book doesn’t flush rank fonts out of any caches. That’s when we turn to shareware, or in this case, freeware. After throwing Font Book at corrupt fonts, use FontNuke (free, <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/jpietry/apps/fontnuke" target="_blank">homepage.mac.com/jpietry/apps/fontnuke</a>) to clear out any cached fonts, which can preempt new versions of removed fonts from ever seeing the light of day. If font problems persist, step up to FontDoctor, ($69.99, <br /><a href="http://www.morrisonsoftdesign.com" target="_blank">www.morrisonsoftdesign.com</a>), which has a knack for finding font corruption that Font Book misses.</p>
<p>Next: <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C10">DITCH DASHBOARD</a> and <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C10">WORD UP</a></p>
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<div style="text-align: center"><img src="/sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images/web-dashkill.jpg" width="225" height="96" /></div>
<p align="center"><strong>If you’re sloppy with your Widgets, Dashboard becomes a veritable RAM hog.</strong></p>
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<p><strong>DITCH DASHBOARD</strong><br />Mac OS X’s Dashboard makes for some right-tasty eye candy, but at what price? Install DashQuit (free, <a href="/elaum.free.fr/Design.php?titre=Software" target="_blank">elaum.free.fr/Design.php?titre=Software</a>) to view a running total of Dashboard’s RAM usage, and if you want that 5 to 15 percent back, use DashQuit’s Stop button to quit Dashboard entirely. If you want to disable F12—Dashboard’s keyboard shortcut—open System Preferences’ Dashboard &amp; Exposé pane and, in the list next to Dashboard, click the downward arrow and select the -.</p>
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<p><strong>WORD UP</strong></p>
<p>Microsoft Word launches infinitely faster if you disable its WYSIWYG Font Menu (in Word &gt; Preferences &gt; General).</p>
<p>Next: <a style="font-weight: bold" href="/article/feature_revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac?page=0%2C11">PROCEED WITH CAUTION</a></p>
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<p><strong>PROCEED WITH CAUTION</strong></p>
<p><strong>Remember Icarus? He was the figure in Greek mythology who flew too close to the hot sun with his feather-and-wax wings on. You can guess the rest. </strong>Along the same lines, you should avoid these areas when tweaking your Mac for speed, svelteness, or sex appeal.</p>
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<p><strong>The Terminal Can Be Terminal</strong> When you start playing with Unix in the Terminal and/or CLIX, keep in mind that you can easily cripple your Mac by entering the wrong command. Even we Unix greenhorns know dozens of system-wrecking commands. Type very carefully, and check what you’ve typed before you press Return. When in doubt, don’t try it.</p>
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<p><strong>Tinker At Your Own Risk</strong> Modifying your system can be fun and educational—but as the Mac OS evolves, your customizations may come back to bite you. For example, future software and OS updates might balk if they don’t find certain files in specific places.</p>
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<p><strong>We'll GIve You a Break on the Backup Rap</strong> But you do know that messing with the system makes it more likely that your Mac will crash and burn, right? Use the kids’ old iBook for experimentation if you’re doing this for educational value. If you’re tweaking your main machine, it’s even more important to keep to a strict backup regimen.</p>
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<p><strong>Font Book Won’t Let You Delete Fonts That the System Requires</strong> Don’t go Rooting around deleting fonts manually when Font Book already told you that was a no-no.</p>
http://www.maclife.com/article/revitalize_restore_and_renew_your_mac#commentsMac repairMac troubleshootingMac upgradeperformancerepairtroubleshootingupgradeFeaturesHow-TosFri, 16 Mar 2007 02:50:16 +0000Niko Coucouvanis592 at http://www.maclife.com